MILL VALLEY, Calif. (BP)–Trustees of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary adopted a long-range strategic document, elected a new director of the Pacific Northwest campus, set a course to determine future use of its primary campus, and recognized the achievements of faculty and a key supporter during their Oct. 13 meeting in Mill Valley, California.
The Diamond Plan, the seminary’s new strategic document designed to guide the Seminary toward its 75th anniversary in 2020, was adopted.
“The process of developing this plan involved faculty, staff and board members over the course of two years,” Golden Gate President Jeff Iorg said. “Everyone was invited to participate, and everyone had an opportunity to be heard. We are grateful to our staff and faculty for their work undertaken on this plan.”
Iorg outlined a revised statement of the seminary’s mission, vision, values and goals, all of which will be unveiled and implemented in 2010 and 2011.
The trustees also heard reports from each regional campus. In other actions, Mark Bradley, Northwest native and two-time Golden Gate graduate, was elected as the new director of the Pacific Northwest Campus. He begins his position on Jan. 1.
A native of Oregon, Bradley received a master of divinity degree in 1985 from Golden Gate’s Pacific Northwest campus, and a Ph.D. degree in biblical studies with a New Testament emphasis in 1994 from the Seminary’s Northern California campus.
“Mark Bradley has a positive reputation in the Northwest Baptist Convention, as well as with many of the regional team leaders and pastors of the leading churches,” said Bill Crews, executive director of the Northwest Baptist Convention.
Approval was also granted for engagement of HartMarin, a local firm, for the purpose of creating a new master site plan for the Northern California Campus.
“Our current site plan expires soon,” Iorg said. “So we must work with Marin County to create a new plan to ensure our capability for future use or development of our campus.”
The board took a number of other actions, most related to administration details such as investment policies, audits, referrals from the SBC, and other routine items.
Ray Tallman, the Baker James Cauthen Chair of World Missions
and Professor of Global Missiology and Intercultural Studies, and David McCormick, retired professor of pastoral care and counseling, were granted senior professor status. Kon Yang, associate director of the doctor of ministry program and associate professor of Old Testament studies, was granted a sabbatical for 2010-2011.
A special resolution of appreciation was adopted for K. Milton Higgins, president of the California Baptist Foundation. Higgins, who will retire at the end of 2009, has helped raise millions of dollars in planned gifts for the seminary. Higgins was also presented with the Harold K. Graves award, making him the only recipient of the two highest honors given by the seminary — the Graves Award and the Distinguished Alumni Award, which he received in 1998.
Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary is a Cooperative Program ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention and operates five, fully-accredited campuses: in Northern California, Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, Arizona and Colorado.
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Phyllis Evans is director of communications at Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.
